Napoleonics was my first, & for a long time only, period. We used a variant of the olf WRG rules but I found them increasingly unsatisfactory. Hence, the look for something new. And I think we've found it!

Our trial game was the scenario from the rule book but with Confederation of the Rhine forces opposing the Russian army.

The battlefield:

We managed to run about 9 turns (out of a possible 16) in under 4 hours. I was the only one who'd read the rules & there was much leisurely explaining & discussing. With a little experience (next game!) I think the whole battle in 3 hours is realistic.

The game relies on your ability to plan & lead your small soldiers. Things don't always work out as you'd want them:

Certainly just as exciting as the actual shooting & melee was manoeuvre: both sides jockied for position.

Although units exist as battalions etc, the key element is the brigade: with all its components. Here is a Bavarian-Wurtemberger brigade with line infantry in columns, skirmishers to the fore & the brigade commander & ADCs controlling everything.

And a Westphalian-Polish brigade as well.

Difficulty in in the variety. Units are graded according to size & training. Large but poorly trained Russian Opolchenie must be handled appropriately in order to function constructively:

Although the game wasn't finished, The Russian artillery held the high ground & looked formidable:

I felt the rule book is lucid, the supporting You Tuibe videos useful but even after one game, I think the intuitive nature of the rules means you are gaming confidently.

Any idea what you'll game? I found a Quatre Bras scenario for G D'a I'd like to use. I believe Mr Brown is putting out a scenario book, too.

It's not that I'm incapable of putting a scenario together but in these early stages of the game, it's important we use ones that will work, showcase mechanisms, provide a degree of challenge to both sides etc.

The games so far fictitious ones involving Austrians and French using 28mm collections. We played a lot of British re-fights (in various scales and rules) in the last year or two so we lost interest in doing the same thing again.

I suspect it will be a part of the 1813 campaign as the general plan was to try Leipzig next year.